Floating chuck assembly



Oct. 28, 1969 I R. G. DODD I 3,474,932

FLOATINGCHUCK ASSEMBLY Filed April 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 illllllllllllila Oct. 28, 1969 R. G. DODD 3,474,982

FLOATING CHUCK v ASSEMBLY Filed April 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 m lllll i /////4 co 2s s4 8 [$881K H a 1 'lllillllllmunuu. MENTOR 1 2| A ROY e. 0000 ATTORNEYS.

3,474,982 FLOATING CHUCK ASSEMBLY Roy G. Dodd, Richmond, Va., assignor to The Inta- Rota Machine Company, Inc., Richmond, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Apr. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 718,064 Int. Cl. B65h 17/02 U.S. Cl. 24268.4

4 Claims BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the manufacture of sheet metal strip, the strip or web is wound on a cylindrical steel core and the strip wound on the core is placed in an annealing furnace for heat treatment. During the winding operation, it is important to maintain uniform tension on both edges of the web and to this end, the core must be so supported as to allow its outer surface to run true even through the same may be non-uniform with respect to the inner surface of the core from which the core is supported for rotation. Otherwise, substantial stress is imparted to the supporting mechanism for the core. The cores themselves are of considerable weight, up to more than 1100 pounds, and of course when wound with a full load of web, the total weight is even greater so that the support mechanism must freely allow the winding surface of the core to run true for even tensioning of the web as aforesaid to avoid inordinate stress on the support mechanism while allowing the web to wind evenly on the core.

When the cores are first made, even if rough machined, they can be made to secure substantial uniformity of the outer winding surface with respect to the inner supporting surface but the core, together with webs wound thereon are normally subjected to alternate heating and cooling during annealing of the sheet metal web so that the cores become warped ultimately. It is desirable that the useable life of the cores be extended as long as it is possible and it is also desirable to avoid the need for precision machining the cores, either initially or subsequently. On the other hand, the deformed cores tend to chew up the chucks on which they are mounted during the winding operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention the chucks which internally engage the cores for winding purposes are constructed so as to allow the tension in the web to align the core automatically for uniform tensioning and even winding of the Web, inordinate strain upon the support mechanism thus being avoided. More specifically, the present invention encompasses an improved floating chuck assembly particularly adapted to accommodate deformed and non-precision cores without material damage to the cores or to the chuck elements. The core engaging chuck elements are floatingly supported by universal connections with coaxial supports so that the chuck elements may assume irregular or non-axial orientation when engaging the opposite ends of a core.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a web winding apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an end view of one of the chuck members as seen from the line 22 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially 3,474,982 Patented Oct. 28, 1969 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION With reference now more particularly to FIG. 1, the winding apparatus comprises rigid support arm assemblies 10 and 11 the arm 10 rotatably carrying a driven spindle 14 and the arm 12 rotatably carrying an idler spindle 16. The driven spindle includes a shaft 18 FIG. 3, having an outer end 20 which may be splined for the reception of a drive gear or the like for rotation of the shaft 18. The shaft 18 is suitably journaled within the arm 10 by means of bearings 22. The inner end of the shaft 18 is provided with a collar portion 24, the end face on which is provided with a plurality of recesses 26 for the reception of pins 28 carried by the inner end face of the spindle hub 30.

The outer end 32 of the spindle hub 30 is rectangular or squared, see FIG. 2, to provide flat, parallel opposite side surfaces 34 and 36. An inner block 38 is provided with a rectangular central opening 40 freely receiving the squared end 32 of the spindle hub 30 to slidably engage the surfaces 34 and 36, and a pair of headed pivot pins 42 and 44 pivotally mount the inner ring 38 for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 18. The pins 42 and 44 have reduced diameter shanks 46 received in recesses 48 diametrically disposed in the squared hub portion 32. The rectangular Opening 40 of the inner ring 38 is dimensioned to provide a clearance 50 to allow the inner ring freely to swing to skew positions relative to the axis of the shaft portion 18.

An outer ring assembly 52 includes a plate-like body 54 provided with a central opening 56, dimensioned to clear the rectangular outer surface of the inner block 38, as shown in FIG. 2. Pivot blocks 58 and 60 carry headed pivot pins 62 and 64 having reduced shank portions 66 received in diametrically disposed recesses 68 in the opposite legs of the inner block 38, whereby the outer ring assembly 52 is pivotal about an axis perpendicular to the pivot axis of the inner block 38.

The main body 54 is recessed to receive the members 58 and 60 and suitable fasteners 70 are provided for detachably securing the members 58 and 60 to the main body 54. The peripheral surface 72 of the body 54 is of conical configuration so as to be received within the corresponding end of the metal core 74 upon which a web of sheet metal is to be wound. As shown, the c0rrespending end of the core 74 is provided with a slot or notch 76 and the body 54 is provided with a recess 78 receiving a driving lug or pin 80 which is fixed within such notch 76.

Preferably, the outer side of the lug 80 is wedge shaped and has tapered surfaces 82 for ease of engagement of this lug within the notch 76 as will be readiy apparent. The spindle hub 30 is provided with a backing plate or flange 84 and a plurality of springs 86 are carried by this backing plate normally to urge the outer ring body 54 to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft portion 18 but to allow it to assume askew positions relative thereto.

The springs 86 are at least three in number and are equi-distantly spaced circumferentially with respect to the outer ring 52, one end of each of the springs being received in a suitable recess 88 in the body 54 and the opposite end of the spring bearing against the opposed face of the backing plate 84 and retained in position by suitable locating studs 90 which may also serve as spring tension adjustment means in association with the lock nuts 92.

The construction of the other chuck member is identical to the foregoing description of the drive chuck insofar as the core-engaging portion thereof is concerned and prime reference numbers for corresponding parts are utilized in FIG. 3. The idler spindle may include a shaft portion 94 suitably enjournaled in the arm 12 with such shaft portion 94 having a cup end 96 receiving a bearing 98 by means of which the stub shaft portion 100 is carried, the stub shaft 100 having a collar portion 102 coresponding to the collar portion 24 of the shaft 18 previously described and associated with the chuck assembly in the same fashion as such previously mentioned collar portion 24. The chuck assembly 52' does not utilize a lug 80 such as that described in conjunction with the drive side.

What is claimed is: 1. A floating chuck assembly comprising, in combination,

a pair of support spindles disposed in axially spaced relation, an inner block pivotally carried by each spindle about an axis normal to the axis of its associated spindle, an outer ring pivotally carried by each inner block about an axis othogonally related to the pivot axis of its associated inner block, each ring having a conical periphery for partial reception within an end of a cylindrical workpiece, resilient means normally urging each ring to lie in a plane normal to the axis of its associated spindle, and a radially disposed flange fixed on each said spindle, said resilient means comprising coil springs interposed between each said flange and respective outer ring, said springs being equidistantly spaced about said ring. 2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said rings are provided with means seating and locating the respective ends of said springs, said flanges having internally threaded bores corresponding to and respectively aligned with said seating means, 1 and stud members threaded in said bores and having means at one end seating and locating the other ends of said springs. 3. A flotaing chuck assembly comprising, in combination,

a pair of support spindles disposed in axially spaced relation, an inner block pivotally carried by each spindle about an axis normal to the axis of its associated spindle,

an outer ring pivotally carried by each inner block about an axis of orthogonally related to the pivot axis of its associated inner block, each ring having a conical periphery for partial reception within an end of a cylindrical workpiece,

resilient means normally urging each ring to lie in a plane normal to the axis of its asociated spindle,

and drive means operatively connected with one said spindle,

the outer ring carried by said drive spindle having a drive pin extending radially from its conical periphery for driving engagement with a notch in the cooperating end of a workpiece.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said drive pin is wedge shaped.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,863,058 6/1932 Judelshom 24268.4 X 2,865,577 12/1958 Furst 242129.51 3,368,769 2/ 1968 Obenshain 242--68.4

NATHAN L. MINTZ, Primary Examiner 

